Solid Waste

Please prepare for longer than normal wait times at the Receiving Building at the Tacoma Recovery & Transfer Center August 25-26, 2018 as crews work to resurface the tipping floor. If possible, please plan your trip either before or after the scheduled maintenance to avoid delays. Thank you for your patience.

About Tacoma's Solid Waste Division

In Tacoma, we are committed to sustainably managing our waste streams so that collectively we send less waste to the landfill. Through recycling and other strategies, we improve the health and strength of our community. The Tacoma landfill is now full, and as we waste less we are able to send fewer loads of garbage to the Pierce County landfill. This extends the useful life of the landfill, reduces vehicle emissions and pollution, and saves money to reinvest in our community.

Solid Waste Services

The City of Tacoma’s solid waste utility provides curbside services to more than 58,500 residential and commercial customers in Tacoma.

Sustainable materials management is an approach that examines the life-cycle of materials and products from raw material extraction to end of life (disposal) and recycling. It seeks to reduce environmental impacts by emphasizing waste prevention and materials management through all stages. Huge amounts of resources such as energy, water, minerals, and soils are consumed in the production, transportation and distribution phases. These activities have a tremendous impact on air, climate, and water quality. Recycling is one strategy helping our community make progress towards our goal of diverting 70 percent of our solid waste from landfills by 2028. Preventing waste in the first place helps even more. When we reduce waste at the source, produce with fewer toxins, and consume conservatively, we make more effective, efficient use of our valuable resources. For ideas on how you can waste less, visit our web page Waste Free 253.